1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to improved methods and apparatus for stranding materials. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved strander and methods of operating the same to improve the efficiency thereof. Accordingly, the general objects of the present invention are to provide novel and improved methods and apparatus of such character.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatus for stranding materials are well known in the art. These related art stranders are commonly used for stranding wood and especially timber or logs which are generally cylindrical in shape. Such stranders typically include a rotatable housing element having stranding blades on the interior of the housing element and means for delivering wood into the housing element. The housing element is typically in the shape of a hollow cylinder which rotates about a rotation axis and is designed to move relative to the wood to be stranded in working cycles. The stranding blades are periodically disposed on the interior of the housing element such that the blades cut into the wood upon rotation and cyclical movement of the housing element. One example of a strander of the related art is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,873 which issued to Crammond on Jan. 23, 1996. The contents of this patent are hereby incorporated by reference to provide further details regarding the structure and function of conventional stranders and strander components.
A major deficiency of the above-described conventional stranders is that the cutting blades only engage the wood to be stranded during a relatively small portion of the entire stranding operation. Specifically, conventional stranders are inefficient in that the housing element only strands the wood while moving in a single direction relative to the feeding point. Therefore, the cutting blades of the housing element do not strand the wood during the return movement of the housing element. Additional inefficiencies arise from the need to feed additional timber into the strander prior to commencing additional cycles of the strander. Thus, the housing element must remain stationary in an end position until additional wood is fed into the strander. Accordingly, the stranders of the related art spend little time actually stranding the timber.
Therefore, there remains a need in the art for an improved strander and methods of operating the same which overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies of the related art by increasing the efficiency of the stranding process.